Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Ellie!!

Learning Evolution

Learning is such a complex process. This semester I have come to terms with the idea that learning is a complicated process that should always be evaluated (the process that is) and modified for success. At the beginning of this school year, the administration at our school asked each department to design common assessments based on core objectives. This process was suppose to really improve teaching and make learning objectives very clear to students and teachers.

While I think it is great to spell out learning objectives for students and teachers, this does not equate to good teaching. As the year has moved on, I realized that actual learning is so much more than spelling out objectives, teaching material and evaluating based on those objectives. This approach is pretty behaviorist and in my opinion, that is the least effective and lasting method of teaching and learning.

I really like the cognitive theories that we discussed in class. Back to my school, we are going to be so much more successful if we are building schema and capitalizing on background knowledge that the students already have. Students will retain much more information if they have knowledge to attach it to. Cognitive teaching methods are so important to the learning process.

We can’t forget about constructivist theories when discussing learning. Learning is messy and sometimes there will be failure and sometimes cognitive conflict must be created in order to retain and really understand information. Students must be given authentic opportunities to learn and demonstrate their knowledge. With these opportunities, students will value their understanding and knowledge of classroom material. As Vygotsky promoted, learners must be stretched beyond their perceived capabilities in order to achieve lasting learning.

Thinking about all of these learning theories in the context of my school and my classroom makes me realize a few things about how my thinking has evolved over the semester. There will never be one right way to teach every student. Teachers must constantly study and find the best teaching practices and the best methods in order to reach all students. I must dabble in all of the learning theories once in a while. Positive reinforcement and cognitive apprenticeship can really benefit many of my students when used at the right times. Above all, I as a teacher can never stop learning. I should always investigate new ways of teaching, presenting, motivating and creating understanding in my classroom.

Week of November 23

Learning, learning, learning. . . . . I can really see the value of social constructivism and the theory we studied this week. Last year I was doing observations in various media centers and I saw such a great example of this theory in action. I was at Washington High which is the alternative school in Ogden. Students who attend this school have been through disciplinary action at other schools, have family circumstances that haven't allowed them to attend traditional schools, or have drug abuse issues. With students who have such diverse backgrounds and needs, it would be so easy for the teachers in this school to throw busy work at these students. The teachers don't do this though. Students have projects that they work on as a group. When I visited in November, students were just finishing a Veterans Day project. Students went to a nursing home and presented a Veterans Day program. Students in English classes wrote and researched topics to write speeches. Students in social studies classes wrote newspaper articles about various time periods in war. FACS classes sewed individual pillows to give to Veterans at the program. Students were incredibly motivated to take on these huge tasks. The tasks were above their ability and comfort level, but with the help and support of the teachers and classmates, they were able to make great things happen.

Learning is effectuated by teacher vision. Teachers must have the foresight to understand that no two classes will be the same. Students need different levels of support and challenge. When teachers have appropriate vision, students can achieve well beyond original expectations.

Week of November 16

I really liked Bruner's ideas and I think that they are very applicable to learning. The idea of spiral learning is very powerful. Spiral learning takes place in our classrooms, but also from year to year. I have taught so many students who have really benefitted from previous teachers and the concepts taught in those classes. It would be so great to coordinate with teachers of different grade levels to plan a scope and sequence. Our district use to devote an entire day for teachers to get together and make such plans. With budget cuts in the last few years, we don't have a day to gather and plan in subject areas across various age groups. I'm really disappointed that we don't have time to plan and coordinate curriculum; I think that students could really benefit from this planning and sequencing.

Learning can best be effectuated by spiral learning. Students learn best when they have the opportunity to build on prior knowledge and learning. Teachers can act as a catalyst of learning by coordinating with previous learning and curriculum.

Week of November 9

The readings this week really made me think about learning in my classroom. I really like the idea of authentic activities and I try to utilize those activities as much as possible in my classroom. In the past my students have published picture books for elementary students at different schools, written letters to parents and administrators and created poetry books to help other classes understand the elements of poetry. I think that students learn so much more when they are actually "doing" the subject matter. I do think that sometimes it is scary for a teacher to plan such activities. Last year my students made picture books for students in an elementary school. I was really stressed with the results of the product. It's one thing for my students to fail in the context of my classroom, but when a student fails to produce a great picture book, or a picture book at all, the elementary students suffer. Cognitive apprenticeships are great for students, but sometimes I think they can also be more stressful for teachers.

In order to effectuate learning, teachers need to step out of the classroom, take chances, and realize that learning is messy. Cognitive apprenticeships may be complicated and challenging, but the student learning is powerful and lasting.

Week of November 2

There is so much going on in my mind this week: case based learning, 25% of my students with swine flu, the end of the quarter, and thoughts of APA documentation style. When I stop to think about learning, I think about synthesis. I don't think that true learning can really take place until you stop and think about, reflect and ponder that learning. With so many new teaching ideas, responsibilities and mandates, I don't know if I have my students stop and reflect and evaluate their learning as much as I should. I think that when you reflect about learning and really think about what you have learned and how you will use it, you are more likely to value that learning and continue to build on it. My students really need time to reflect on learning because sometimes they don't see the big picture. They don't know why it's important to do independent reading, learn new vocabulary and make meaning out of text. Whole class reflection is very beneficial. I need to make more time for this in my classroom. The day before Halloween is not a great time for reflection, so I'll try it during the first part of November.

Learning can best be effectuated by setting time aside to think about and reflect on the things that we are learning and how they will be helpful in the future. This time could be 5 minutes of class time or 20 minutes of individual journaling time or anything in between.

Week of October 19

I really enjoyed the readings this week concerning motivation. I really think that motivation is one of the most important parts on the classroom. The readings this week focused on how students ask for help and how teachers can help students ask for help. I think that before we even think about that, teacher enthusiasm should be taken into consideration. If a teacher is not enthusiastic and does not care about the content, students sense that and become apathetic to the content taught in the classroom. I remember the first year I taught. I taught texts that were available and texts that other teachers taught and had success with. I was so fortunate; I had the best mentor teacher ever (literally, she became the Utah Teacher of the Year a few years later). I thought that everything was in place for me to have a great year. That year, I tried to teach pieces of literature that I didn’t love. I think that really came through to the students. I didn’t feel a lot of success with some of the units that I tried. I was frustrated because my mentor teacher loved those pieces of literature and it seemed that her students did too. The next year, I was able to order my own set of books. I chose a book that I loved, that filled the curriculum standards and that I felt I could teach in an impactful way. That really changed everything. I could look at my kids and say “I love this book and I think that there is a lot that we can learn by reading it together.” That enthusiasm changed my classroom that year. Since that experience, I try to get enthused about everything I teach. Sometimes we are mandated to teach certain curriculum that doesn’t excite us, but we can put our own stamp on it and add our own personality.

So I guess I think that learning can best be effectuated by really motivating students with our enthusiasm. If students see that we love the things we teach, they will be more motivated to learn.